Let's understand that labelling people to be privileged in a derogatory manner to demean their valid interventions, talking about ground reality in a simplistic way to shoot down any discourse to change it for the better and calling anything progressive and critical of the legal apparatus as academic jargon themselves emanate from a privileged position. Much of the support for the provisions of UP Population Control Bill under discussion is TAINTED by unsubstantial targeting, or inflated through an apparently sophisticated circular argument leading to nowhere that is couched in a no less academic jargon.
While there is no point in engaging with provocations, we should definitely be able to see through the jargonistic, misleading set of arguments being pushed here by the proponents of the said provisions. The ableism we daily face is indeed the reality and is correctly identified. But the identification of our vulnerable position as the disabled is pushed towards a deliberately created cynicism in which valid attempts to intervene into processes that perpetuate ableism are being belittled. It is indeed a truism that we all have our share of ableism, not to mention other forms of biases such as misogyny. However, it is doubly problematic when prevailing biased mindsets get codified and institutionalised by the State Apparatuses. While we all have to constantly fight our individual biases, it is more than crucial that we keep on raising our voices against institutionalisation of prevailing negative attitudes and exploitative structures. It is through sustained campaign against institutionalised exclusion that we have been able to win the RPD legislations and other policy measures having potential to ensure our rights and dignity, notwithstanding the many limitations of such provisions. The need of the hour is to carry forward that campaign and organisations like NPRD are doing the much-needed job. It is only from a privileged position, earned ironically through those very campaigns, that one sets out to negate or demene rights-based activism. Being in a relatively advantageous position vis-a-vis several others whose rightful inclusion in the mainstream is yet to be ensured, one can conveniently take a pro-establishment position and look down upon critical interventions as utopia. Problematic ground reality needs to be altered, and that has to be done academically as well as politically. Hence, anti-intellectualism of the kind we are witnessing in this discussion only helps in defeating the process of social change. Coming specifically to the said provision and the misleading arguments being pushed in its favour, vulnerability of a disabled child has not to do with the number of her siblings. But, by relaxing the population control measures on grounds of a disabled child, the legislation will allow, rather than to curtail, the circulation of the prevalent ableist notions that some of us have rightly pointed out. Of course, the same can be pointed out about several other legislations wherein certain provisions of the legislation themselves happen to operate against the stated aims of the legislation or create/perpetuate other kinds of exclusions. That, and not the so-called uselessness of the law, explains why exclusion prevails despite stringent measures. So, let's come out from our relatively privileged vantage points and join hands in the campaign to question the establishment and its attempts to implicitly or explicitly take away whatever little we have collectively earned. In solidarity. Viraj ------------------------------ *From:* [email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of Avichal Bhatnagar <[email protected]> *Sent:* Thursday, July 22, 2021 5:33:38 PM *To:* [email protected] <[email protected]> *Subject:* Re: [AI] The appalling ableism on display in S. 15 of the UP Population Control Bill is Matched only by the even more appalling ableism on display in this group by those who should know better It is really shocking to see that some who were luckily treated as equal by their families are trying to make blatant generalisations on this issue, not realising that their case was an exception rather than the norm. By putting arguments devoid of any touch with ground reality, all such people have exposed that they are at best armchair disability critics. On 7/22/21, 'Mahendra Galani' via AccessIndia <[email protected]> wrote: > destany my friend Vivek. > that part of my story some other time. > > At 05:10 PM 7/22/2021 +0530, you wrote: >>Then instead of living with your family and brothers then why went to >>Austria and settled, because of fed up off Indian society and went to >>Austria, Hahaa >> >>On 7/22/21, 'Mahendra Galani' via AccessIndia >><[email protected]> wrote: >> > in my case, i lost my father, when i was only 15, few years before >> > that, turn blind at the age of 12 in year 1972, >> > since both my older brothers were not so good at school >> > , could not get good paying jobs. >> > my mom was supplying milk >> > in our neighbourhood to supplement meagre income. >> > >> > i am proud >> > of my family, who provided me further aducation, inspite of >> all the odds. >> > . >> > >> > luckily there thhinking was positive, unlike some of our friends here. >> > At 12:32 PM 7/22/2021 +0530, you wrote: >> >>Hi Friends, >> >> >> >>I belong to a lower middle class family and have not been treated in >> >>any way that compromised my dignity. Also, I know of many people with >> >>disabilities who have done well despite their disabilities and lower >> >>socioeconomic background. I have never had servants or any help and >> >>in fact, I hate to depend upon sighted folks unless there is something >> >>that just cannot be attained due to lack of vision. >> >> >> >>I am surprised that people with disabilities also count themselves as >> >>nonpersons. Good luck disabled community since we are our own >> >>destroyer. Let us then also ask for repeal of Rights of Persons with >> >>Disabilities Act, 2016 as we don't really exist. >> >> >> >>And, Avichal, Mahendra has risen from a lower middle class family in >> >>Mumbai who was educated in a school for the blind. Let us not have >> >>any political agenda while discussing issues. Having said all this, I >> >>will always fight for your right to express your views as that is the >> >>liberty that we must subscribe to . >> >> >> >>Stay safe. >> >> >> >>Ketan >> >> >> >>On 19/07/2021, [email protected] <[email protected]> >> >> wrote: >> >> > I do not regularly post in this group. However, after reading the >> >> > discussion >> >> > on S. 15 of the UP Population Control Bill, I felt compelled to >> >> > speak. >> >> > If >> >> > we >> >> > cannot collectively raise our voices against such blatant display of >> >> > ableism >> >> > and pure and simple discrimination, then we might as well shut this >> >> > group >> >> > down and go home. These words sound harsh, I know, but nothing less >> >> > would >> >> > suffice to respond to the insensitivity displayed by those >> >> > supporting >> >> > the >> >> > provisions at issue. Here are my thoughts. >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > First, please understand what this provision [S. 15] seeks to do. It >> >> > seeks >> >> > to inscribe into law a provision that would say that the rule that >> >> > you >> >> > can >> >> > only have two children, created by this law, will not apply in the >> >> > event >> >> > that you have a disabled child. In such cases, you are entitled to >> >> > have >> >> > three children. In other words, the Bill says that a disabled child >> >> > simply >> >> > does not count as a child. It says that, as parents, you are entitled >> >> > to >> >> > a >> >> > do over if a child with a disability is born to you. >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > Second, if the above does not constitute a frontal assault to the >> >> > dignity >> >> > of >> >> > disabled bodies, I wonder what does. If the above provision does not >> >> > negate >> >> > the personhood of the disabled, I wonder what does. If the above >> >> > provision >> >> > does not inscribe into law the most horrific stereotypes about having >> >> > a >> >> > disability that we all seek to confront everyday in direct and >> >> > indirect >> >> > ways, I wonder what does. >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > Third, to say that the bill would have been criticized even if it >> >> > did >> >> > not >> >> > have such a provision and hence we should just put up with our >> >> > statutorily >> >> > sanctioned humiliation and negation, I am sorry to say, reflects a >> >> > way >> >> > of >> >> > thinking that is dismissive at best and appallingly discriminatory >> >> > at >> >> > worst. >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > Fourth, the claim that the criticism of the provision is only >> >> > academic >> >> > and >> >> > is divorced from prevailing ground realities is an equally >> >> > problematic >> >> > view. >> >> > It is true that many still view having a disabled child as a curse. >> >> > That >> >> > they feel that a disabled offspring will not be able to contribute >> >> > productively. That she would be an undue burden. And that there is a >> >> > need >> >> > to >> >> > have an able-bodied child to compensate for this deficit. However, >> >> > the >> >> > existence of this thought process is a reason for us to fight tooth >> >> > and >> >> > nail >> >> > against any attempts to codify these beliefs into law. We must do >> >> > everything >> >> > we can to interrogate, contest and dismantle this type of thinking. >> >> > Not >> >> > put >> >> > our weight behind those who seek to legitimize it by inscribing it >> >> > into >> >> > law. >> >> > In other words, the ground realities that one member speaks of are >> >> > the >> >> > very >> >> > reason why we should fight back against this provision. >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > Fifth, as another member points out, the selfsame arguments that are >> >> > being >> >> > deployed to support this provision have been used in the past to >> >> > support >> >> > attempts to kill the girl child. Many facts of life that confront us >> >> > in >> >> > everyday life are horrendous and unfortunate. That is no reason to >> >> > defend a >> >> > law that seeks to sanction these unfortunate realities. >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > Sixth, as disabled people who strive everyday to realize our full >> >> > potential >> >> > and to break down the barriers standing in our way, it is profoundly >> >> > sad >> >> > that some of us are willing to unhesitatingly subscribe to the >> >> > stereotypes >> >> > that this provision embodies. Do we really think that a disabled >> >> > life >> >> > matters less? That a disabled person cannot contribute productively? >> >> > That >> >> > they cannot do as well as, if not surpass, their able-bodied >> >> > siblings? >> >> > To >> >> > the extent that this is so, isn't the society we inhabit also to >> >> > blame >> >> > for >> >> > the disabled not realizing their full potential? >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > Lastly, granted, some children may actually be born with >> >> > disabilities >> >> > that >> >> > are so severe and limiting that they may not be able to lead lives >> >> > of >> >> > productivity or a life without significant pain. Even if we accept >> >> > for >> >> > a >> >> > moment that a deviation from the two child norm would be okay in >> >> > such >> >> > cases, >> >> > that is not what this bill does. The provision does not deal with >> >> > disabilities meeting such a high bar. It applies to those with all >> >> > 21 >> >> > disabilities covered by the 2016 Act, irrespective of their impact >> >> > on >> >> > the >> >> > disabled child. >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > I will conclude with the painful observation that the ableism >> >> > displayed >> >> > by >> >> > the disabled sometimes surpasses that exhibited by the able-bodied. >> >> > With >> >> > friends like these, who needs enemies? >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > Rahul >> >> > >> >> > -- >> >> > Disclaimer: >> >> > 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the >> >> thinking of the >> >> > person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its >> >> > veracity; >> >> > >> >> > 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the >> >> > mails >> >> > sent through this mailing list.. >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > Search for old postings at: >> >> > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> >> > --- >> >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> >> > Groups >> >> > "AccessIndia" group. >> >> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >> >> > send >> >> > an >> >> > email to [email protected]. >> >> > To view this discussion on the web visit >> >> > >> >> >> https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/000501d77c15%24d135a430%2473a0ec90%24%40gmail.com . >> >> > >> >> >> >> >> >>-- >> >>Ketan Kothari >> >>Phone: [r] 02228283281, >> >>Cell: +919987550614 >> >>+917021054612 >> >>Facebook: facebook.com/muktaketan >> >>Twitter: @muktaketan >> >>Skype ID: Ketan3333 >> >> >> >>-- >> >>Disclaimer: >> >>1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the >> >>thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates >> >>itself to its veracity; >> >> >> >>2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the >> >>mails sent through this mailing list.. >> >> >> >> >> >>Search for old postings at: >> >>http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> >>--- >> >>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> >>Groups "AccessIndia" group. >> >>To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >> >>send an email to [email protected]. >> >>To view this discussion on the web visit >> >>https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia >> /CAC4kLWU1EXPUPrYpomG9iixpiKmSq16mA4enZCNbzoPg2ZLs-g%40mail.gmail.com. >> > >> > >> > >> > with warm regards >> > Mahendra Galani >> > Whatsapp/Viber/Skype/Imo/Facetime +43 699 174 555 95 >> > Festnetz +43 1 961 77 47 >> > Addresse, Arneth gasse 45/2/2 >> > 1160 Vienna, Austria, Europe >> > >> > >> > >> > -- >> > Disclaimer: >> > 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the >> thinking of the >> > person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its >> > veracity; >> > >> > 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the >> > mails >> > sent through this mailing list.. >> > >> > >> > Search for old postings at: >> > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> > --- >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> > Groups >> > "AccessIndia" group. >> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >> > an >> > email to [email protected]. >> > To view this discussion on the web visit >> > >> https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/20210722122810.6Vw2mWsOvA9Im6Vw2mcNXU%40vie01a-pemc-psmtp-pe11.mail.upcmail.net . >> > >> >> >>-- >> >>Vivek Doddamani Ph-9868954833 & 7011740648 skype: vivek.doddamani, >>FB: vivek doddamani. 105, Lancer Road, Near Mall Road, Delhi-110054. >> >>-- >>Disclaimer: >>1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the >>thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates >>itself to its veracity; >> >>2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the >>mails sent through this mailing list.. >> >> >>Search for old postings at: >>http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >>--- >>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>Groups "AccessIndia" group. >>To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>send an email to [email protected]. >>To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/CANYGqbhY_9TV%2B%2BCeKuiE2ggb6QBK8mjo-TAifegB_U2FooRxAw%40mail.gmail.com . > > > > with warm regards > Mahendra Galani > Whatsapp/Viber/Skype/Imo/Facetime +43 699 174 555 95 > Festnetz +43 1 961 77 47 > Addresse, Arneth gasse 45/2/2 > 1160 Vienna, Austria, Europe > > > > -- > Disclaimer: > 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the > person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; > > 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails > sent through this mailing list.. > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "AccessIndia" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/20210722134803.6XBKmZ1UYA9Im6XBLmdQ94%40vie01a-pemc-psmtp-pe11.mail.upcmail.net . > -- Avichal Bhatnagar Assistant Professor at Department of English, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College University of Delhi Doctoral research scholar at School of Humanities, Delhi Technological University (formerly Delhi College of Engineering) -- Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list.. Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "AccessIndia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/CADsKw8qcrLGdWu6wLA8WWcnnedpUmED-1E3z3dLLEUVWJsOtqA%40mail.gmail.com . -- Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list.. Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "AccessIndia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/CA%2BHQ-F%3Da05U%2BN6ZkE6ga2G1%3DBo%2BL6VhG12MVFe3Kd51mThedRw%40mail.gmail.com.
